Modibo Maiga of Mali reacts after Cheick Tidiane Diabate equalized
Mali edged Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Gabon 5-4 in a penalty shootout after the sides played to a 1-1 draw in their quarterfinal in Libreville on Sunday night.
After two hours of hard-fought football had failed to separate the sides, a shootout was called for and the Panthers’ best player Pierre Aubameyang was the unfortunate soul to miss his spot kick and hand the Eagles a place in the last four.
Mali started the first half strongly, ensuring the home side were unable to build up an early head of steam. However, Gabon gradually began to assert control of the midfield and claimed the lion’s share of possession.
The Panthers’ strike pairing of Pierre Aubameyang and Daniel Cousin proved a real handful for the Mali defence, with the latter using his aerial and physical presence to great effect, while the former’s pace and movement made him hard to mark.
Aubameyang was gifted the best chance of the first half on the 29 minute mark when he sprung the offside trap, beat Mali goalkeeper Soumbeyla Diakite with a well-weighted lob, but was unlucky to his effort rebound off the upright.
It was easily the best opportunity of a half that featured some good attacking play from both teams that resulted – for the most part – in no more than half chances and speculative long range efforts.
The second half continued in a similar fashion until the 55th minute when the co-hosts surged ahead. After Mali failed to clear a free kick, Aubameyang pulled a ball back from the right by-line and Eric Mouloungui arrived late to shoot home with his left foot.
Four minutes later the Panthers almost added to their lead when Cousin got away a scuffed shot that beat goalkeeper Soumbeyla Diakite but rebounded kindly off the base of the upright. Cousin soon made way in a substitution that handed the initiative to the Eagles.
They drew level with just six minutes of regulation time to play, as Modibo Maiga won a knock-down in the penalty area and substitute Cheick Diabate scored with a quick turn and shot to make it 1-1.
Extra time produced little in the way of scoring chances apart from right at the death when Seydou Keita lunged onto another knock-down but was unable to keep his shot down and find the back of the net.
Mali converted all their spot kicks in the penalty shootout, but sadly for Gabon their star player Aubameyang saw his effort well saved by Diakite. Keita buried the last kick to see the Eagles win 5-4 and set up a semifinal meeting with Cote d’Ivoire.
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who wears the crown? it's so sad that nigeria could not qualify.
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